


The Hive Knight and his Princess

by DoobleBugs



Series: Big Brother Hive Knight [3]
Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: Babysitting, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Hive Knight is a very good boy, Pale King is not the best dad, minor Pale Lurker Lore, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-02
Updated: 2020-07-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 17:28:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25030132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoobleBugs/pseuds/DoobleBugs
Summary: Hive Knight is summoned to the White Palace by the Wyrm King with a strange task; to watch over the Wyrm King's daughter.
Relationships: Hive Knight & Hive Queen Vespa (Hollow Knight), Hive Knight & Hornet (Hollow Knight), The Pale King/White Lady (Hollow Knight)
Series: Big Brother Hive Knight [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1763335
Comments: 12
Kudos: 149





	The Hive Knight and his Princess

**Author's Note:**

> When Vespa's and Hive Knight's dialogue is in italics, they're speaking Hivelish to each other

Hive Queen Vespa and Hive Knight were visiting the Palace once more. While Hive Knight had little knowledge of the specifics of why the Wyrm kept inviting them to his palace, the young knight had the strangest feeling that this visit would be...different.

For starters, when his beloved Queen had opened the letter the Wyrm had sent, she almost burst into laughter. When Hive Knight asked her for details, she shrugged him off.

_“The Wyrm King is in over his head.”_ She giggled. _“He is requesting us for assistance for a problem he created, and I’m not going to entertain his delusions.”_

_“What are we to do?”_ Hive Knight asked, secretly hoping to avoid a visit to the palace altogether. He felt so... _out of place_ at the White Palace. It was so clean. So _quiet._ There was no quiet buzzing of his siblings at the Palace.

Vespa buzzed in thought, idly running her claws through the fluff around her neck. _“While I do not wish to engage in whatever mishaps the Wyrm has created for himself, his situation does somewhat involve the Hive. So I’m sending you in my stead, my knight.”_

Hive Knight felt his mind stop working for a moment. Buzzing in confusion, he asked, _“M-My Queen? I don’t quite follow. How could I help?”_

With an impish smile, his beloved Queen pat the top of his head. _“Well, I suppose you best get ready and find out, hm?”_

He saluted and made way for his chambers, his stiff posture deflating when out of eyesight. His beloved Queen was in a playful mood, it seemed. And while he would obey every command without a second thought, he could certainly complain about said commands to himself.

Nonetheless, he packed a travel bag with several jars of honey and made way to the exit of the Hive.

Walking to the Palace would be too slow, and with the tramways still in construction, there was only one reliably quick way to make it to the White Palace from the Hive; riding atop one of the large Hive Guardians.

Hive Knight approached one of the Guardians hesitantly, already knowing how his larger sibling would feel about the idea. _“I need your assistance, sister.”_ Hive Knight starts to say, bowing slightly. _“I have been summoned by the Wyrm King, and need help to get there-”_

The Hive Guardian huffed, turning away from him. _“Hey! Don’t ignore me!”_ He growled back, _“Come on! The Queen instructed me to go there, and I am commanding you to assist me!”_

Finally, the Guardian relented, kneeling down for Hive Knight to climb aboard her back. It took some maneuvering to get the Guardian _out_ of the Hive and in the right direction, but the rest of the trip was a walk in the park. The two were there in no time.

He and the Guardian landed outside the gates, immediately being flanked by two of the tall, four-armed guards and a single retainer. “Good day, erm, sir.” The retainer greeted, bowing low. 

Hive Knight did not bow. Instead, he took a moment to think about what to say. “I am here...to zzzzee the king. My Queen wazzzz zzzzent for. I am here...in her zzzztead.” _Curse his lisp._

The retainer merely blinked at him. “Could you repeat that?”

“I. Am. Here. From. The. Hive!” Hive Knight all but snarled at the little white bug. “The Wyrm zzzzzent for me!”

“Oh! The Hive representative!” The retainer squeaked, fumbling with the gate controls. “Of course! Of course! So sorry sir! A-And your…” The retainer looked awkwardly at the Guardian. “Y-You’re mount will be placed in the stables, sir. Feel free to go in! Although, things are a bit busy.”

Hive Knight paid no mind to the last part, strolling inside, already annoyed. Whatever the Wyrm wanted better be worth it.

And the retainer wasn’t lying. Seemingly all of the staff was busy planning or discussing some event, skittering and rushing around as if it were the end of the world. Hive Knight hadn’t the foggiest where the Throne Room was and wasn’t sure who to ask-

“Are you the Hive Representative?” a firm voice asked from behind. Hive Knight turned to meet the voice; a tall, slender bug wearing a strange helmet with four eyeholes. “Hm? Answer me. Are you the Hive Representative?”

“Oh- correct. W-Where-” Before he could finish his question, the bug stood straighter. “Follow me. His Paleness has been waiting rather impatiently for you and your Queen. Where is your Queen?”

“No Queen, juzzzt me.”

The bug sucked the air between her fangs. “His Majesty isn’t going to like that...regardless, follow me.”

Hive Knight followed this mystery bug down several long hallways and through many rooms. The Palace was as he remembered; sterilized, pristine, perfect, _pure._ There was no speck of dust, no piece of furniture out place, not a single drop of honey dripping from the ceiling-

“His Elegance is in here.” The bug announced, standing outside a room. Hive Knight recognized the room as one the Wyrm and his beloved Queen had used to discuss diplomatic affairs.

He also recognized the Pure Vessel standing guard outside. 

The Pure Vessel was the testament to everything the Wyrm King stood for and wanted; a tall, slender, and elegant being. Perfect in every way, shape, and form. Voiceless and always ready to obey a command without thought. They didn’t even seem alive at times, and certainly not like any bug Hive Knight had seen or heard of.

As the two approached, the Pure Vessel’s head swiveled over to stare at them. Hive Knight repressed a shudder. He didn’t like how it...stared.

“My King, I have arrived with the Hive Diplomat as requested.” Hive Knight’s guide said as she knocked on the door.

At once the door flew open, the Wyrm King himself the one who did so.

And he looked like _shit._

Hive Knight had only seen the Wyrm King in passing, and never this close. But from Vespa’s descriptions, the Wyrm King was not a bug, not truly, anyways. She described him as ‘a being that wears the idea of a bug as a cloak’. And Hive Knight had to agree. The Wyrm King was a beacon of pale light with the form of a bug, his eyes dark pools.

But his pale light was weak, his eyes cloudy, and his overall demeanor radiating exhaustion. He waved his hand to dismiss the guide. “Thank you, Knight Lucia. Return to me later, and we will discuss your future mission regarding that blasted Colosseum on the outskirts of the kingdom.”

Knight Lucia bowed low, then scurried out of sight.

Then, the Wyrm King turned to Hive Knight. “Where is Vespa?”

Hive Knight struggled to find his words for a minute. Despite how utterly exhausted he looked, the Wyrm King still had a rather intimidating presence. “M-My Queen only zzzent me. Zzzhe thought that you would r-require my prezzenzze only.”

The Wyrm King’s expression didn’t change - how could it? He wore a mask. Masks don’t have emotions. While his physical expression didn’t change, Hive Knight could tell that the Wyrm King was upset. Disappointed. “Very well. Enter, and we will discuss your task.”

Once Hive Knight entered the chamber, the Wyrm King shut the door behind him. The King sighed, “This is a very important task, and rest assured, you are my last resort.”

Hive Knight said nothing, waiting for the Wyrm King to continue.

“I need you to watch over my daughter.”

“D-Daughter?” Hive Knight asked. He was unaware the Wyrm King had any children, and the idea _horrified_ him. The stories Vespa would tell him of Wyrmspawn that would devour everything in their path were fresh in his mind. “W-Why me? Don’t you have-”

“You are my last resort.” The Wyrm repeated, firmer this time. “I have no one else. Her mother insisted she stay so I may ‘bond’ with her, but her timing was poor.”

Hive Knight buzzed, “Who is her mother?”

“Herrah the Beast, Queen of Deepnest. I have sent her messenger after messenger, asking her to pick up our child, but she has been equally busy. Something about a monster that steals faces. It sounds preposterous, and it’s one of the worst excuses I’ve ever heard.”

Herrah, yes. Hive Knight knew of Herrah. The Queen of Deepnest and his beloved Hive Queen often interacted, their nature...flirtatious. More importantly, he _had_ seen the heir of Deepnest before, once as a baby wrapped in a red bundle of silk.

He still didn’t know why _he_ had to watch her. “Uhm, what about-”

“Herrah said that if there was a problem to contact Hive Queen Vespa, and Vespa sent _you.”_ The Wyrm said, sounding more irritated. “I have no one else. Myself, my Queen, and my Pure Vessel have a very important ceremony in the City of Tears regarding the Pure Vessel and their task of sealing the infection.”

“What about that Knight that lead me here?”

“Knight Lucia has an important mission regarding the Colosseum of Fools in Kingdom’s Edge. Knights Isma and Ogrim are busy tending to the invasion of Flukes in the waterways, Knights Dryya and Hegemol are to attend the ceremony with us, and Knight Ze’mer is on a diplomatic mission with the Mantis Tribe. My staff can’t handle her on their own. The child is a _hellion_. She’s bitten and paralyzed many of my retainers already-”

“Bitten? Paralyzzzed?!”

“The paralyzation is only temporary, never fear. My scientists at the Archives are working on an anti-venom.” The Wyrm King stopped talking, giving Hive Knight a look over. “You look rather _young,_ knight. Inexperienced. This is why I asked for _Vespa._ ” He sighed again, “Desperate times, desperate times.”

Before Hive Knight could interject any more, the Wyrm made his way to the door. “Come, I’ll lead the way to her room. I have placed her there as punishment for biting my staff.”

“What if zzzhe bitezzz me-”

“I’m growing tired of your whining, knight.”

As the Wyrm King left the room, the Pure Vessel followed close behind, their footsteps matching their king’s. Hive Knight struggled to keep up.

“I will leave some members of my retainers behind to tend to the palace, ask them if you need anything.” The Wyrm said as the trio went down _more hallways._ This place was more hallway than a palace. “Herrah has left detailed instructions for childcare, stick to them.”

The Wyrm King stopped next to a tall door adorned with childish scribbles. “The cleaners will tend to her mess later.” The King turned to Hive Knight, looming over him. His soft voice had turned into a menacing hiss, “Let me be perfectly clear. When I return late tonight, and I find that she is upset or hurt in any way, shape, or form; I will remove your head, tear out your organs, and use your newly disemboweled corpse for a cradle. _Do I make myself clear?”_

Hive Knight nodded. “Very clear.”

“Come, vessel.” The Wyrm King commanded, and the Pure Vessel snapped to attention. “Do not disappoint me, knight.”

So Hive Knight was left alone, standing in front of the door to the child’s room. He knocked once, then twice, then let himself in. 

The playroom was dark, the Lumafly lanterns dim. There were toys scattered among the floor, a small bed in the corner, a soft rug in the middle, and a desk tucked away in an opposite corner. Despite the dim, he could see the walls were not a pristine white but painted with gentle pastels and soft silvers.

Of course, all of these small details were largely overshadowed by the massive amounts of webbing all over the room’s surface. Messy, unkempt, the webbing had no rhyme or reason, and looked like...well, it looked like a child had done it.

Despite the instincts to turn around and go right back home, Hive Knight steeled his nerves. “Baby?” He called out, stepping closer into the room. “Baby? Where are you?” _Stars above, the Wyrm never even said his daughter’s name. Did she have a name?_

“Baby, where are you?”

There was a chittering noise from above him. The young bug was above him, dangling from some of her webs. She was small, with a white, masked face and a red cloak that was much too big for her. He had cared for Hiveling grubs before; they were large and fat and didn’t do much but eat. This was new territory for him.

“Hello there,” Hive Knight buzzed, watching as she began climbing down. “I’m Hive Knight, your mother and my mother are...friendzz.”

The little bug giggled at his lisp, and it was the first time he was glad to have it. She crawled down from the ceiling and sat on the rug in the middle. She seemed fascinated by him, and he sort of understood why. While the retainers and the knights and the palace and even the king wore white, he was a bright yellow. He didn’t have slick, chitinous armor nor a mask to hide his face. He was an anomaly.

“I met you, onzzze before. But you were very tiny, I don’t know if you would remember.” Hive Knight continued, hesitantly patting the spot between two nubs - they would no doubt grow into horns similar to Herrah’s. “I am to watch you until your father returnzzz.”

She purred and nuzzled into his hand. “Aww, you’re not zzo bad! Your father wazzz too harzzh.” He stood, glancing around the room. “The Wyrm zzzaid there were inzzztructionzzzzzzz….” He buzzed, antennae twitching as he searched.

Finally he found a parchment on the desk. Perfect. Feeding times, nap times, what to do if certain things happened, and what she responded to. "You don't have a name yet, baby. How doezz-"

As he turned to talk to the toddler, he found that she had _vanished._ "Ohhhh _Fuck."_

Hiveling grubs didn’t move much, and they certainly didn’t _run away._ And with the Wyrm’s threat repeating in his mind, Hive Knight dashed outside the room to give chase. “Baby? Baby?! Where did you go?!”

Hearing giggling down a hallway, he bolted after her. He found her in the next room, dangling from the chandelier. “HOW DID YOU GET UP THERE?!” More importantly, how was he going to get her down?

The little girl giggled again, swinging on the precarious light fixture without a care. Hive Knight whimpered as he looked around for _some_ sort of solution. "C-Come down now, little one! I-I'll catch you!"

She considered him for a moment, then, with a mischievous look in her eyes, happily jumped from the chandelier. 

Hive Knight stumbled as he positioned himself, arms outstretched. She landed in his arms and he almost tripped as he struggled to right himself. Once situated, he held her tight and close, so, _so very happy_ that she was safe and OK. The little princess squeaked, mandibles clicking as she nuzzled deeper into his fluff.

Once the adrenaline had worn off, Hive Knight set her down on the ground. “That wazzz very dangerouzzzzzzzz!!” He growled. The little spider whined, reaching up with a grabbing motion. “Don’t do that again!”

And she started to cry. Hive Knight panicked. “No no, don’t cry! I’m not mad! I wazz juzzt zzzcared!” She continued to reach for him, and it clicked. “Oh...you want to be held…” And he scooped her back up, rubbing her back soothingly. “You just wanted to be held.”

Once she was soothed, Hive Knight spoke, “Princezzzz-” but was unable to continue. The young princess burst into quiet giggles.

“Princezzzzz?” He tried again, only to illicit more laughter. 

“Buzzz!” She mimicked, “Buzz buzz buzz!”

He buzzed in reply, and the little spider squealed in delight. At least she was easily entertained. “Letzz go back to your room and play, OK princezzzz?”

The little princess frowned, clicking her mandibles and whining. “What now? Are you tired? Are you zzzzzad? What-”

Hive Knight yelped as he felt her tear a chunk of fur. “What the-?!” He watched - surprised and a little horrified - as she chewed the clump of fur and ate it, her chelicerae chewing on some of the thicker bits. He numbly felt where she had ripped out a large chunk of fuzz.

_“...oh. You’re hungry.”_ He had some honey in his bag, maybe she’d like that? The Hiveling grubs certainly did so.

Holding the child at arms reach, he quickly made his way back to her room to retrieve his bag. Hive Knight set the squirming girl on her bed. “All the grubzzz from the hive eat honey, princezzz. I don’t know if you’ve had any before, but no better time to zzztart!”

He poured a heaping spoonful of golden honey, then offered the spoon to her. “Here! Bottomzz up.”

She sniffed the spoon curiously, nibbling on the edge with her fangs. But with patience, she took a bite. She chirped and chittered, sniffing the empty spoon, clearly wanting another spoonful. “It’zz good! Full of nutrientzz. You’re too thin, princezz. Chubby babiezzz grow up zzztrong.”

Hive Knight gladly gave her several more bites, but soon she grew fussy once again. “Whatzzz wrong, princezzz? Hiveling grubzzz could eat a whole jarful! Doezz it tazzzte bad?” 

No, the honey tasted as it always did. Hive Knight consulted the parchment. “If the child growzz irritated, zzhe may be hungry, take her to the kitchenzzzz…” He turned to her, as if she could answer his questions. “What’zzz a kitchen?”

Understandably, she didn’t reply with an answer. Instead, she whined again, looking ready to throw a fit if she didn’t get something to eat. “Don’t cry, don’t cry! We’ll find the kitchenzz, princezzzzz. I’ll azzzk around.”

He scooped her up, cautiously holding her in case she decided to eat more of his fluff. It took some wandering around the seemingly infinite hallways to find some staff to help, and after getting turned around more than once, he was finally on his way to the kitchens.

Whatever those were.

Hive Knight noticed the smell first, a very strange and foreign smell, as faint as it may be. It wasn’t honey, he knew that for sure. It also grew warmer as the two got closer. 

The kitchen was a massive room filled with pots and pans and bugs and weird smells. While Hive Knight was hesitant, the small child in his arms was _not,_ impatiently chirping and squealing with hunger.

“Uhh, excuzzze me?” Hive Knight buzzed, trying to get one of the bug’s attention. It was honestly hard for him to focus. All the smells were messing with his antennae and making his stomach ache.

Finally, someone noticed. “Stars above, who are you?” A bug wearing a large hat asked as she skittered closer. “What are you? Why are you holding the princess?”

“Uhm, I-I wazzz requezzzted by the king to watch over her.” He stammered. “I believe zzhe’zz hungry, and I wazzz inzzztructed to come here?”

The bug nodded. “Ah, yes it’s around that time, hm. Let me see what I have. The young princess will eat most anything with meat.” She rummaged around the pots and cupboards. “Hey, fuzzy, you look like you’re from the Hive! What kind of dishes do you bugs have over there?”

Hive Knight blinked. “...Dizz….dizzezzz...dizzezzzz-” _God Damn this lisp._

“What do you eat?”

“Oh. Honey.”

“Yeah, what else?”

“....only honey.”

The bug stared at him, dumbfounded. An awkward silence fell over the kitchen. “You’re serious? You’ve never had anything else?”

“What elzzze izzz there?”

Finally the bug pulled out a strange-looking object from a metal cupboard. “Here, the princess likes the Vengefly pot pies. She’s got a good appetite, that’s for certain…” She handed Hive Knight a plate with two of the aforementioned ‘pot pies’ on it, the small princess already trying to grab at it. 

“Come back if you need anything else, OK?”

“Yezzz, thank you.” He buzzed, more focused on shifting his grip on the child _and_ the plate.

“There’s a dining room two doors down!” the bug called out as he left.

What was a dining room?

As he found out, it was just a large room with a table and chairs in it. Why not call it ‘the table room’? Names aside, the princess was fussing again, so Hive Knight set her down in a chair. 

“Alright, the kitchen gave uzzz...thezze...thingzz.” He said hesitantly, poking at the pie as if it was going to bite him. Satisfied the dish was not going to attack him, he got a spoonful for her. “Right. Here, princezz.”

She hissed, turning away from the spoon. He sighed. “Whatzz wrong? Do you not want it?" 

"No!" She squealed. 

"Hey, calm down, itzzz OK...what if I had zzzome?" She whined again, and he was quick to reassure her. "No no, don't cry! Look, look, zzzee?” To placate her, Hive Knight cautiously took a bite of the pie.

It tasted good.

No, it tasted more than good.

_Oh my god it was so good._

It was nothing like honey, but that's what made it so good! It had different textures and tastes and flavors and it wasn't sweet at all! It was the _opposite_ of sweet! It was-

The whining of the child broke Hive Knight from his thoughts. "Right, right, zzzzorry princezzzz, thizzz izzz your dinner, not mine." He pushed the plate closer to her, and the little spider eagerly dug into the delicacy with her claws and fangs. No silverware required for her.

As she dug in, Hive Knight found himself staring at the _second_ pot pie on the plate. He steeled his nerves. _No, that was for the princess. He had his honey._

The dining room was quiet. Incredibly quiet. The only sounds being Hive Knight's soft buzzing and the princess eating. "I could _not_ live here." He found himself saying aloud. "I couldn't zzztand it. The Hive izz alwayzzz buzzzy, alwayzz loud. Itzzz full of energy! I can't wait for you to vizzzit."

The princess babbled at him as she shoveled bits of vegetables in her mouth.

Hive Knight frowned, glancing around the room. It was pristine as everything else, sterilized and cold. "But...thizzzz palace...itzz zzzo empty. Therezz no life...therezzz no _love._ "

"Are you going to grow up here, princezzzz?" He asked the small girl. "Are you going to grow up alone and lozzzt in thezzze hallwayzzz?"

The princess stared at him, babbling and waving a clawful of squished pie. “...I’m talking to myzzzelf, aren’t I?”

She seemed finished with her meal, now treating the leftover food as a toy. Hive Knight felt drawn to the other pot pie. “...princezzzzzz?” He buzzed tentatively, tapping his claws together. She looked at him, tilting her head. “Can I have the other one?”

The princess nodded, continuing to coo and play with her plate. _Well, if she said so._ Trying not to be too eager, Hive Knight tucked in. It was warm and fresh, and Hive Knight had no idea how he could go back to eating honey after today.

Thinking back to the task at hand, Hive Knight hoped a large meal and a full belly might ease the princess into slumber. Hiveling grubs often slept after feedings, but he was realizing that she was _not_ a Hiveling grub. Quite the opposite.

“Princezzzzzzz?” He buzzed, soft and low, mimicking the gentle tones of Vespa when she would lull the Hivelings to sleep. “Princezzzzzzzzz, are you zzzleepy?”

The princess chirped, squirming in her chair. She didn’t seem tired. Hive Knight’s antennae twitched as he thought about what to do. Maybe some play would tire her out? But how did spiders ‘play’? He had no experience with spiders, except for Herrah, and all she did was joke about eating him-

_Wait, that’s it._

Hive Knight wolfed down the rest of his food (it still tasted amazing though), then set her down on the floor. As expected, she started to toddle over to him. He gasped dramatically. “Oh! Oh no! The brave and zzzcary zzzzpider izz going to get me! Aaaa! Oh nooo!”

It took the princess a moment to understand the game he was proposing, but once she did, she squealed in delight and gave chase for _real._

He kept a slow pace, but he quickly found that she was much faster than he expected. Soon, Hive Knight broke into a sprint in order to keep ahead. Occasionally, he would slow his pace and she would almost catch up to him. 

The two ran down hallways after hallways, much to the confusion and surprise of any remaining staff.

The hallway gave way to a large balcony overlooking a massive courtyard. The courtyard was overflowing with strange and exotic plants he had never seen. Part of him wondered what kind of honey the flowers would provide. And in the back corner was a sort of training ground...of sorts? All he could see were sawblades.

Best keep the princess away from there.

Speaking of, the princess squealed in delight as she caught up, clinging to Hive Knight’s leg. “Ah! You caught me! Ohhh no!” Hive Knight slowly, but dramatically fell to the floor of the balcony. “Oooh! Woe! Woe izz me!”

The princess climbed onto his chest, giggling and running her claws through his fluff. “Are you finally tired yet, princezzzz?”

In response, the young princess yawned, blinking sleepily at him. Hive Knight sighed. “ _Finally_. Let’zzzz get you to bed, princezzzz.”

Hive Knight sat up, and the sleepy princess made an unhappy noise as she crawled off. “Alright, uhm...how can we get back to your room?” Hive Knight buzzed, looking down the hallway they came from. “Who dezzzigned thizz place?!”

The princess squealed, and he turned to see what was the matter. Hive Knight found her balancing on the balcony banister over a hundred-foot drop, looming over a mass of thorny vines.

Hive Knight nearly screamed. Instead, he could only make a strangulated squeak. _“P-Princezzzzzzzzzzzzz! P-Pleaazzzzzzzze get down from there!!”_ He buzzed, stepping closer.

She mewled, confused by his sudden change in demeanor. She took a few more steps on the banister. Time seemed to slow as her foot slipped and she started leaning towards the edge. Hive Knight felt as if he had never moved faster, darting forward to grab her before she fell. He scrambled to grab her as she fell, finally managing to grab a corner of her dress before she fully tumbled over the edge.

Hive Knight slowly, carefully raised her back up onto the banister and into his arms, feeling that his heart was about to explode. He wheezed as he felt her curl up in his arms. “You think _you’re_ tired…”

He turned and began to trudge down the hallway once again, looking for her room. He never wanted to see a white hallway again after this. He was forced to ask lingering cleaning staff for directions, not caring how out-of-place he was at the moment. 

The princess had almost fallen asleep in his arms, breathing softly. How often was she held? Did her father ever hold her? Her mother? Grubs needed a lot of physical affection to grow properly, how different was this child? Hive Knight shifted his grip so her head rested on his fluff.

After an eternity, the child’s room was found. Cleaners had visited while she was gone, like ghosts in the night. The scribbles on the door and walls inside the room were wiped clean, webs removed, lights fixed. The room was now as sterile as the rest of the palace, looking as though no child lived there at all.

Hive Knight began to put the child in her bed, and she began to fuss. Reaching out for him and beginning to cry. “Princezzzzz…” Hive Knight said quietly, feeling his own exhaustion catching up to him. “You need to zzzzleep…what do you want me to do, crawl into your bed?”

The princess cried louder and Hive Knight knew what he had to do. Slowly, carefully, he crawled into the bed with her. He barely fit, taking up most of the surface. This didn’t bother the princess any, however, as she crawled on top of him, resting in the crook of his neck.

“Zzzzleep little one, rezzzzzt your head.” He buzzed, resting a hand over the child and feeling his eyes closing. I’m here...I’ll keep you zzzzzzz.. _.zzzafe_ ….”

* * *

_"...knight...hive?...hm….I see…”_

Hive Knight did not wake up slowly. He awoke with a jolt, hissing, _“DON’T TOUCH MY ZZZZZIZZZZZTER!”_

Eyes blurry from sleep, he saw one of the figures reaching for his weapon, but a taller figure dismissed them. “No no, the knight is simply doing their task, as instructed.” Came a soft voice. Not Vespa. “I believe you were dreaming, knight. The little one is not your sister. A bee cannot have a weaver sister.”

Soon, the blurriness faded. Hive Knight recognized the Pure Vessel slowly sheathing their nail, the Wyrm King standing off to the side, and a new figure, taller. 

The Wyrm cleared his throat. “Why are you in my daughter’s bed?”

“She wouldn’t sleep unless I was here.” Hive Knight explained, feeling the princess stir. She was still clutching the fur around his neck, and he kept his claws nearby in case she fell.

“How was the little one?” The tall figure asked. She was dressed in a royal gown, her horns resembling roots. 

Hive Knight squinted. “...Wyrm Queen?”

The Wyrm Queen nodded. “White Lady.” She corrected firmly. “I am no Wyrm. Answer my question, knight.” The soft tone was there, but underneath the softness was a coldness that the Wyrm King shared. Just as otherworldly, just as distant, just as _strange._

He gave her a suspicious look, unhappy with being commanded by a Queen that wasn’t his own. “Zzzzhe...wazz fine. I fed her, played with her, put her to bed.”

The Wyrm King stepped forward, his light making the child squirm. “Excellent. Give me my daughter.”

Hive Knight, albeit reluctant, reached to remove the princess from his fluff. The princess was even more reluctant, starting to cry when he tried. “Uhm…”

“What is the meaning of this? Remove her at once.” The Wyrm commanded.

“Zzzhe doezzzn’t want to go.” Hive Knight said, unsure of what to do now. “Zzhe’zz comfortable and doezzzn’t want to let go.” Before anyone could object, he said, “Give me a moment, let me try zzzzomething.”

Hive Knight turned away from them, speaking directly to the princess. “I’m zzzorry, but I have to go now.” Understandably, she started to whimper and cry, and he buzzed until she calmed down. “Never fear, princezzzzzz, I promise I’ll zzzee you again. I’ll look after you, even if I am far.”

Carefully, Hive Knight unhooked her claws from his fluff, despite her crying protests. “Don’t cry, little one, don’t cry.” Still crying, still wailing, he handed the sobbing toddler to her father.

The Wyrm King didn’t move. The Wyrm Queen did, however, taking the child from Hive Knight. “Your services are no longer needed, knight. Return back to the Hive.”

The princess still cried, reaching out for him. “Buzz!” She wailed, trying to mimic him. “Buzzz! Buzz! Buzz bee!!”

Hive Knight buzzed in return, waving goodbye to her. “If you need my help again-”

“On the slimmest of chances that I require your specific help, I will let Vespa know.” The Wyrm finished for him. “Goodbye, knight.”

He knew when he was not wanted. And despite the princess still crying after him, Hive Knight turned and headed for the palace exit.

* * *

_“My Queen?”_

Vespa turned, buzzing with excitement. Nearby Hivelings joined her, all buzzing and rushing to greet Hive Knight and the Hive Guardian. “My knight! How was it? How did it go? How was the princess?”

Hive Knight frowned, looking away. _“She’s...fine. You said she’ll come train here when she’s older, yes?”_

_“That is the plan Herrah and I have agreed on, yes. Why?”_

_“The next time you visit Herrah and the princess, I want to come with!”_ Hive Knight proclaimed. _“I want to watch her grow and I want to take care of her! She’s my sister too, even if we don’t share blood. That Palace is no place for a child to grow. I...I love her, my queen! And I care about her! She's my princess, and I am her knight.”_


End file.
